Syria and Lebanon: The “French” Colonies

Syria

• Territory that is now Syria, especially Damascus and Aleppo, once a great crossroads for the region

– Linked Arabia and Egypt with Turkey and Mesopotamia

• First area Muslims conquered outside of Arabia, origin of one the largest Hajj caravans, goal of Hashemites during WWI

– Home to ancient cities like Palmyra, which are totally abandoned, now “dead cities”

• But now it has been divided (losing Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan) into a moderate sized country with only a fraction of its past prestige

Syria

• Western part, with its steppe climate, is much more heavily populated than rest of the country

– Latakia has grown to be largest port in the country

• Because of limited politics, minority government, little economic pie to compete for, and external pressure, minorities have been relatively secure here until the Arab Spring

– Include Kurds, Armenians (many who fled the Genocide), Circassians, Assyrians, Turkmen

• Armenians least integrated historically, now its changing a little bit

– Al-Asads are Alawis, but there are also Druze and Ismailis (and Arab Christians) in the country

Syria Economy

• Agriculture has been a big focus, given its limited oil potential

– Government irrigation projects had moved it from a net importer to net exporter of wheat

• Built the Euphrates Dam with Soviet Money, the single biggest project in modern Syrian History

– Led to disputes with Iraq, Turkey

• However, a recent years long drought has meant many people have had to give up their land

• Has oil in the far NE corner

– At first only found heavy, high sulfur oil

• Recently found some light, sweet crude to blend the heavy stuff with

– Allows limited export, and meets domestic needs

• In past, Syria used Iraqi oil which was shipped through pipelines across the country

Syria Economy (cont)

• In pre-colonial times, famed as manufacturing center for nearly everything traded as a positional good:

– metalwork, damask fabrics, muslins, linens, silk, tapestries, carpets, leather, carved and inlaid furniture, glassware, pottery, jewelry, mosaic

– Though the techniques survive to make tourist pieces, never evolved into a mass manufacturing system

– Now, like much of the region, has the localize market manufacturing (cement, pharmaceutical, food processing, steel, clothing), but little else is made

• Though the population is well educated, the heavy hand of the government discourages investment and stifles entrepreneurship

Syria Politics

• Has maintained a largely secular political climate, which is a legacy of its early leadership in Arab Nationalism

– Muslim Brotherhood did kill 60 cadets in Aleppo in 1979, took over Hamah in 1982

• In kicking them out, government killed several thousand, and destroyed the town

– Other than that big exception (and today), were fairly non-violent as absolute military rulers go

– Although in recent years, Islamic conservatism has been on the rise.

• Has probably the frostiest relationship with Israel of any Arab state (mostly b/c of Golan Heights): home to office to boycott Israel, home to 400,000 Palestinian refugees, has not signed a treaty with Israel

– Apart from sending troops during Desert Storm, has also generally stood against US foreign policy, without the direct antagonism typical of Iraq, Iran

• Unfortunately for the Lebanese, Syria’s chosen venue to act against Israel/US is Lebanon.

Damascus

• Competes with Byblos (Leb.) and Aleppo for title of oldest continuously occupied city

• Old City (Defined by a Roman Wall)

– Umayyad Mosque (the center of the Umayyad Dynasty) was built on the site of Byzantine cathedral, built on the site of the Temple of Jupiter

• Later site chosen for Saladin’s Mausoleum

• Also home to Shia, Persian Style Sayyida Ruqayya Mosque

– Christian quarter is within the old city

– Home to restored, 19^th century covered Souk Medhat Pasha

Damascus (cont.)

• Adjoins Ghutah Oasis, fed by the Barada River

– Became a market gardening center (fruits and vegetables sold to nearby cities)

• Apricot paste became a local specialty

• Increasingly being lost to spread of Damascus

• The new city was built west of the old city in “The Meadow” or Al-Merjeh

– The European garden suburb extends just north of downtown

• North of the city are al-Akrad and al-Muhajirin suburbs, where Kurdish soldiers and Muslims formerly in Europe came after fall of the Ottoman Empire

Aleppo

• From 1500-1900, was slightly larger and more economically important than Damascus, mostly a trading center

– Metropolitan area home to 4 million people today

• Major center of pistachio production

– Also a walled city

• At the center is the citadel, built on an artificial mound

• Souqs are covered with stone archways, main one is Souq al-Atarin (one has burned during the ongoing conflict)

• Also home to many Khans (travelers inns and stables), largest is Khan-al Jumruk

– Once held English, French and Dutch consulates, now shops

• Christian Quarter (in what is most Christian city in region besides Beirut) being renovated, turned into boutique hotels

– One of region’s largest Armenian populations

Syrian Uprising

• As noted, most of the uprising has been happening outside the largest cities (although the Damascus suburbs and Aleppo are seeing increasing action, with occasional bombs)

– The issue of youth unemployment is prominent here like in other places; and the concentration of political power in the Al-Assads (and the Alawi community)

– Islamists are probably the biggest faction in the Free Syria Army

• Daraa was the first to really be put to seige, but so have Hama, Baniyas, and Latakia; the worst seige was in Homs.

• Best estimates have around 60,000 people dead from the uprising so far

– Initially, most deaths were because of government action against protestors and neighborhoods

– Increasingly, the opposition is armed, and looks like a full on civil war Algeria or Lebanon style.

Lebanon

• Beirut was once the cultural, educational, media, and banking capital of the Middle East, with a multi-cultural society (often compared to Paris and/or Switzerland). Until the Civil War of 1975-1990

– 140,000 killed, 140,000 wounded, Beirut destroyed with $50 billion worth of damage

– In 1980’s it was Maronites vs. everyone else at one time or another (other Christians, the Druze, the Sunni, the Shi’a, the Palestinians)

• Now it is the poor Shi’i, the largest single group in Lebanon, at the center of things, in the form of Hezbollah vs. Sunni conflict

• During 1980’s, Bekaa Valley hashish smuggling supported militias

• After initial 1982 invasion to root out Fatah, Israel also conducted major operations in 1993 (400,000 refugees), 1996 (102 civilians killed in shelling of refugee camp) and 2006

– The film Waltz with Bashir chronicles that invasion.

Beirut

• Lebanon’s central location, well watered coast, and good ports led many successful trading cities thru history

– Can grow wide range of fruits (citrus and grapes)

• Without a lot of mineral resources to draw on and small hinterland, 20^th century Beirut moved from trading into services for Arabic speakers

– Included media, logistics, banking, tourism, education

• Once had most stable currency in the Middle East,

• American University of Beirut was founded as Syrian Protestant College, has a respected Medical School

• Airport was once busiest, rebuilt in 1990’s, destroyed again by Israel

– Beirut lost most of its service sector (apart from media) during the civil war

• Dubai, with its free spending and lack of war, wants that title

– Many Lebanese media workers have been lured to Dubai for high salaries, most long to go back

Beirut (cont.)

• Traditionally city was divided into Christian East (Achrafiye), Muslim West (Verdun)

– Shi’i gathered in squatter settlements in the South of the city

• Palestinian refugees also squatted near Beirut

• Like other Arab cities, has a Corniche (promenade along the waterfront)

• Downtown was rebuilt in 1990’s in the Hairi backed Solidiere program at the cost of billions of dollars

– Accused of being Disneyesque recreation (ie sanitized, pseudo-historic) of old downtown

– Group also given power of eminent domain, so it could run over small landowner objections

• Achrafiye home to most of the night clubs in Beirut

– During war, Jounieh, north of the city and home to a Casino, became center of Christian party scene

Rest of the Country

• During 2006 bombing, Shi’a cities of Baalbek, Tyre, Mariaayoun, Nabatiyeh, Bint Jebeil hit particularly bad

– Baalbak had been trying to revive its once famous music festival, set among its ruins; Tyre had been getting more tourists

• Byblos (Jbail) is a big Roman port now a fishing/tourist town

• Tripoli is second city, big Sunni stronghold

– Famous for its souq and its sweets

– Along w/ Sidon, known for soap

Arab Food in general

• Turkey, Iran, and Morocco have culinary traditions distinct from (but related to) the wider region

• Lebanon is regarded as cuisine leader in the region, can find “Lebanese” restaurants in all the other countries

– Due to large Lebanese Diaspora, French connection

– Yet, many foods associated with Lebanon have similar versions in other countries, often with slightly different names and techniques

• Mezze are mostly dips scooped with bread

– Most famous are hummus (chickpea, tahini [sesame paste], lemon) and babaghanoush (grilled/roasted/smoked eggplant mixed with vegetables in a salad, or pasted with tahini)

• Pastries include fatayer (fried and stuffed with meat or cheese) and my favorite, fiteer (Egyptian pizza like thing)

– Fried balls of stuff include kibbeh (lamb, wheat, nuts) and falafel (chickpea flour and spices)

• Meats are usually grilled kebab style -- shish tawook is grilled chicken, (often served with garlic sauce); kufti, is spiced ground meat

– Also get shawarma, slow cooked meat which is shaved off in strips and served on a pita (doner kebab in Turkey)

• Syrian migrants to Mexico brought this technique, eventually became Tacos al Pastor